We are thrilled that Jessica Jones, MS, RDN, CDCES, will be joining us for our Level 5 | Specialty Topics with the Experts course series
Jessica Jones, MS, RDN, CDCES, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist committed to making nutrition education accessible to everyone. As the CEO and co-founder of Diabetes Digital, Jessica has been pivotal in developing an innovative telehealth platform that provides tailored nutrition counseling for individuals with diabetes and prediabetes.
Jessica Jones, MS, RD, CDCES
CEO and Co-founder of Diabetes Digital, a virtual nutrition counseling platform for people with diabetes and prediabetes
Describe your approach to Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT):
My approach to medical nutrition therapy is all about centering the individual—because they’re the experts on their own life! My job is to support them and offer practical tools for whatever they’re navigating. Instead of laying down a list of what someone “should” do, I always ask if I can share information and then work with them to figure out the next best (and realistic!) step. And if someone isn’t sure where to start, I’ll give them a menu of options so they can decide what feels doable.
I’m also a big fan of motivational interviewing, using things like reflecting and rolling with resistance to help people tap into their own inner drive.
As a Black dietitian, I strongly advocate for cultural humility in healthcare. I love working with diverse communities and learning about different foods and traditions. It’s important that people feel empowered to include their favorite cultural foods in ways that support their health without losing the joy and connection that food brings to their lives. I also practice from a Health at Every Size (HAES) perspective because everyone deserves access to healthcare, the opportunity to pursue health, and to be treated with respect—no matter their size.
I focus on building a healthy relationship with food by encouraging intuitive eating and body respect.
Tell us about your journey to become a specialist in diabetes education:
Honestly, I never thought I had a shot at becoming a CDCES until about ten years ago when Beverly gave an in-service at my job and taught us about diabetes. I still remember the stuffed pancreas toy that she used to demonstrate beta cell destruction. After her talk, I chatted with my supervisor and realized that my work at my primary care clinic counted towards my CDCES hours. Most of the people we served had a history of diabetes or prediabetes, and I was already providing counseling and sharing tips to help improve A1Cs.
Once I completed the required hours and my supervisor signed off, I signed up for Beverly’s DiabetesEd 3-day live training program in Carmel, California. As a dietitian, I was so nervous and intimidated by all the diabetes medications and insulin. But that course gave me all the tools I needed and helped me focus on what to study.
I was thrilled to pass the exam on my first try in 2016.
Since then, I’ve worked in various settings with countless individuals. The joy of seeing them improve their health, lower their A1c, and build a healthy relationship with food has been the one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey.
Share what motivated you (and your bestie) to start your own companies:
Wendy Lopez and I started our companies because we saw a huge gap in how people, especially those from diverse backgrounds, were being supported around their health. We’re both dietitians (MS, RD, CDCES) with over 20 years of combined experience, and we’ve worked in all sorts of settings—UCSF, NYC Department of Health, Alameda Health System, Columbia/New York Presbyterian—you name it.
Through all of this, we kept seeing the same issues: outdated, one-size-fits-all advice that often wasn’t culturally relevant and sometimes even pushed people toward disordered eating patterns.
About 12 years ago, we decided to change the narrative by creating Food Heaven—a platform where wellness meets social justice. With Food Heaven, we’ve reached millions, breaking down how food, culture, and health are deeply connected and showing that there’s more than one way to be healthy. But as we continued our work and our audience grew, we felt a pull to go deeper into our roots in diabetes education and provide even more focused support for those living with diabetes.
That’s how Diabetes Digital came to life. With Diabetes Digital, we wanted to create an accessible space where diabetes care helps people thrive—not just manage numbers. We offer 1:1 diabetes nutrition counseling (covered by insurance!) through our team of diverse registered dietitians who are not only experts in diabetes care but also committed to culturally inclusive, weight-inclusive, and person-centered approaches.
What is your favorite food and hobby?
How much time do we have? Because I have a lot of hobbies and I definitely live to eat! My favorite food is Eritrean/Ethiopian cuisine—lucky for me, I married an Eritrean man! His mom is an amazing cook and often sends us home with delicious leftovers like homemade Injera, Shiro (chickpeas), Hamli (greens), and Timtimo (lentils).
As for hobbies, I’m currently doing improv, which is absolutely terrifying, but I’m doing it anyway—that’s my motto for my 40s! I also recently took a stand-up comedy course and performed a 7-minute routine at a comedy club… in front of a live audience. (Hey, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?) Besides that, I love anything related to real estate, home decor, gardening, travel, and animals. My dream career is to be a dog sitter, and hopefully, I will get there in retirement!
Want to learn more about this question?
Enroll in our upcoming webinar led by Jessica Jones, MS, RD, CDCES
Weight-Inclusive Diabetes Care: Turning Compassion into Practical Tools
Join us live on July 16th, 2026, at 11:30 am PST
This session provides healthcare providers with actionable strategies to integrate weight-inclusive care into diabetes management practices, focusing on improving outcomes through respect for body diversity and individual autonomy. Weight stigma is a well-documented barrier to effective care, contributing to poorer glycemic control, disordered eating, and care avoidance. By shifting from a weight-focused approach to one aligned with Health at Every Size (HAES®), providers can foster trust, enhance participant engagement, and support sustainable health behaviors.
Jessica Jones, MS, RD, CDCES, will share evidence-based insights on mitigating weight stigma and applying HAES-aligned strategies in practice. Participants will learn how to build rapport, set realistic nutrition goals, and implement interventions that prioritize blood sugar management, joyful movement, and intuitive eating. This session equips providers with tools to deliver compassionate, person-centered care, improving both clinical outcomes and the provider-participant relationship..
Course topics:
- Foundations of weight-inclusive diabetes care: overview and evidence
- Shifting perspectives: building trust and redefining success
- Practical tools for sustainable blood sugar management
Instructor: Jessica Jones, MS, RD, CDCES, CEO and Co-founder of Diabetes Digital
Jessica Jones, MS, RDN, CDCES, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist committed to making nutrition education accessible to everyone. As the CEO and co-founder of Diabetes Digital, Jessica has been pivotal in developing an innovative telehealth platform that provides tailored nutrition counseling for individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. Additionally, she co-hosts the Diabetes Digital Podcast, engaging listeners with thoughtful conversations on managing diabetes.
With over a decade of clinical experience, Jessica has contributed significantly to the field through her co-authorship of the “28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot” cookbook and “A Diabetes Guide to Enjoying the Foods of the World.” She also wrote the Diabetes Chapter for the Food and Nutrition Care Manual Textbook and regularly shares her insights as a columnist for SELF magazine.
As a co-founder of Food Heaven, an online platform and podcast with more than 5 million downloads, she offers essential resources on cooking, intuitive eating, and embracing body respect. Jessica’s contributions have been celebrated in prominent publications, including Oprah Magazine, Women’s Health, The Food Network Magazine, SELF Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Bon Appetit. She lives in Sacramento, CA with her husband and “spirited” Maltese Shih Tzu puppy, Poppy.
